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SAJE NEWS
Newsletter of the South African Association for Jazz Education
Number 27, August 2010. EDITOR: Diane Rossi. CONTACT: sajejazz@gmail.com
South African Association
for Jazz Education
www.saje.org.za
Mission Statement: The Mission of the South African Association for Jazz Education is to assure the
growth of jazz in South Africa and the development of jazz and jazz education in urban and rural areas.
Robbie Jansen (1949 – 2010)
See page 16
Nicky Schrire
Masters student at the Manhattan School
School of Music in NY
Sisters in Sound mentor
See pages 4 and 12-13
Monique van Willingh – winner of the
2010 FMR/Pick ‘n Pay Travel Award
Sisters in Sound mentor
See pages 13 and 16
Ezra Ngcukana, South African Jazz Great, 1954 – 2010
♫ Editor: One of the best tributes to Ngcukana’s genius I have seen, was posted by the historian and
photographer, John Edwin Mason. Here is the link which also includes comments by
Paul Sedres, ekapa and Temba Nolutshungu, one of Ezra’s closest friends.
http://johnedwinmason.typepad.com/john_edwin_mason_photogra/2010/08/ezra-ngcukana-1954-2010.html
CONTENTS:
Message from the President – page 2
SAJE Conference & SAJE Festival – page 3
Sisters in Sound & Jazz at the Nassau - page 4
News from UCT, North West University & UNISA- page 5
IN THEIR OWN WORDS – pages 6-7
Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival - pgs 8-9
The world in Grahamstown – page 10
News from PE and NMMU – page 11
LETTER FROM NEW YORK – pages 12-13
SAJE associate members & News from Cape Town – page 13
JEN inaugural conference May 2010 – pages 14-15
News from IASJ – page 15
Robbie Jansen RIP – page 16
RHYTHM – reaching Youth through Music – page 16
News from Romania &Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival– page 17
News from UKZN – page 18
MUSICRAFT & SPEEDWAY CAFÉ 105 – page 19
SAJE Membership info – page 20
SAJE is now on FACEBOOK: Please join the SAJE group on
FACEBOOK www.facebook.com and stay in touch with all the
great jazz events and people in your area. A great way to network!
MESSAGE FROM THE SAJE PRESIDENT
Dear SAJE friends,
Firstly I must express my appreciation to all in spreading the beauty of jazz and jazz education to those who
visited South Africa over the June-July period during the FIFA World Cup. While I grew up attempting to play a
variety of American Sports (not good at any), jazz and soccer do have much in common through the beauty of the
event, and how it easily brings people from across the language and cultural divide together. Jazz has always
exhibited personal expression and group interaction at its core and as Art Blakey said “washes away the dust of
everyday life”. While South Africa continues to be in the global spotlight, we as educators and performers must
continue to spread the word about the great things happening in our country, while continuing to build bridges
and relationships with jazz enthusiasts, performers and educators throughout the rest of the world. This
newsletter speaks volumes of the many and varied South African and SAJE projects that are taking place on a
continuous basis, both locally and internationally; bravo to all for your efforts in spreading jazz though education
and performance. Your efforts reach many through the beauty of this music and what it represents –freedom,
expression, and creativity.
As SAJE looks ahead to the rest of the year, I’m very proud to see the success of the Sisters in Sound project as an
important mentoring program for young women in jazz. The October concert at the Nassau Centre will be an
important event and I would like to personally thank all involved who committed their time and effort in
mentoring young women in their pursuit of learning more about jazz and what it entails to be associated with this
music in some way. I would also like to thank the NAC for their support in getting this project off the ground and
of course Diane Rossi for her tireless efforts in applying for funding. In relation to the SIS program, there are
many challenges facing young people today. It is heartwarming to see the passion exhibited in today’s youth
towards jazz. The annual National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown is one case in particular where this year
over 400 young students came together for a week to learn more about this fascinating music. While all not may
become performers, it is important to note that jazz teaches you many important life skills, such as how to listen,
how to be creative, how to interact, how to respect each other and how to function in a truly democratic setting. I
can’t think of a better set of skills that would be required in order to be a success in any chosen field and in life in
general.
While my travels during 2010 have included trips to Romania, Italy, Belgium, the UAE, and various South African
FIFA World Cup host cities, South African based jazz and jazz education is an important part of the global jazz
family. I look forward to making SAJE an important part of the new Jazz Education Network (JEN) and the
International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) by attending and participating in their 2011 meetings in New
Orleans and Brazil respectively. SAJE was warmly acknowledged by JEN President Mary Jo Papich and
President-Elect Dr Lou Fisher at their very first conference in St. Louis in May this year and featured in the May
issue of JazzEd magazine. I wish all SAJE members great success for 2010 and beyond. I’m very proud to have
been elected your president. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any assistance in keeping the spirit of jazz
and jazz education alive in your area.
Most sincerely,
Mike Rossi
SAJE President
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SAJE Executive Board
President: Mike Rossi
Vice President: Mageshen Naidoo
Secretary: Ann Barr
Treasurer: Diane Rossi
International Rep: Paul Sedres
Board Members
Mike Campbell (UCT)
Marc Duby (Rhodes)
Neil Gonsalves (UKZN)
Jesse Mogale (CAFCA)
Kesivan Naidoo
Lee Thomson
Carol Martin (Sisters in Sound)
Basil Raad (student rep)
Alan Webster NYJF (ex-officio)
Darius Brubeck (ex-officio)
Contact SAJE
Diane Rossi
PO Box 175
Observatory 7935
Cell: 082-515-7051
Fax: 086-508-0337
Email:sajejazz@gmail.com
SOUTH AFRICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JAZZ EDUCATION
10th SAJE Jazz Conference - University of Cape Town, 29-31 March 2010
Theme: Jazz Education in South Africa – Past, Present and Future
Conference Organiser’s report
The March 2010 conference aimed to document the many important events that have occurred throughout SAJE’s
history and how it has changed over the past two decades. The theme for this year’s conference was Jazz Education
in South Africa: Past, Present and Future and focussed on formal and informal jazz education over the past 25 plus
years. The Conference comprised 3 days of performances, workshops, research paper presentations, panel
discussions, instrument and teaching material displays. Jazz music has always reflected a rich diversity, acted as an
international language and healer and has democratic values at its core – and this was very evident throughout the
three days of the Conference.
The conference was attended by important jazz educators and performers from the United States, Europe and the
Middle East, as well as students, teachers, academics and jazz artists from around South Africa. It was a significant
and well attended event which especially showcased young Jazz talent and the work being done in education.
SAJE hereby gratefully acknowledges the 10th SAJE Jazz Conference chief sponsor SENA – SAMRO Endowment for
the National Arts, as well as a supporting grant from BASA – Business and Arts South Africa, and a grant from The
Cape Tercentenary Foundation and the NAC – National Arts Council of South Africa.
IN addition to the conference, SAJE hosted a sold-out Evening of Jazz at Jazz at the Nassau on Sunday 28 March
featuring both local and international jazz educators and performers. Many of the conference delegates also
performed at various jazz venues in and around Cape Town during and after the Conference, e.g the Green Dolphin
and the Imagine series at the City Hall. Dr Gloria Cooper from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY spent an extra
day conducting workshops and mentoring the jazz vocal students at UCT - this was made possible by a grant from the
NAC – National Arts Council of South Africa.
Please visit the SAJE website – www.saje.org.za or FACEBOOK page for photographs of the Conference.
We look forward to the next SAJE Conference scheduled for 2012. Watch this space!
Diane Rossi
SAJE, Sisters in Sound and Jazz at the Nassau
present
LADIES OF JAZZ
Sunday 31 October at 7.30pm at the NASSAU CENTRE
Featuring performances by
Muriel Marco – piano, Lisa Bauer – drums,
Monique van Willingh – flute,
Monique Hellenberg – vocals, Nomfundo Xaluva – vocals
Frank Paco – drums, Wesley Rustin - bass, and various guests
Tickets: R80
Booking is through Cliff Wallis Tel: (021) 761-2726 or cell: 076-401-0008 or email: cliffwallis@gmail.com
SAJE JAZZ FESTIVAL
18-20 MARCH 2011
Bass, trumpet, saxophone and vocal workshops!
Concerts featuring local and international artists
and educators at UCT, Jazz at the Nassau and other
jazz venues in Cape Town!
WATCH THIS SPACE!
SAJE Sisters in Sound Mentoring
Project: Recent activities – July 2010
from SIS-supporter Professor Dennis Tini of Wayne
State University in Michigan, USA.
By Carol Martin
In order to cast the net wider, SIS plans to hold
introductory workshops for high school and
community-based music teachers on 14 August,
and for their key female music students on 23
October who wish to make music their career at
tertiary level. While the SIS program is still ‘testing’
for content and seeing which participants it can
draw, the program plans to recruit larger numbers
of high school levels for the 2011 program. Right
now, it is through the generous donations of startup funds from SAJE that SIS has been able to
conduct its program. More fundraising and public
awareness are needed – for this, Cliff Wallis has
kindly invited SIS members to perform on 31
October Sunday night ‘Jazz at the Nassau’. SIS
members will do some fund-raising performances
elsewhere during this year, and into next year. The
Alexander Sinton High School music room of
Mentor Ronel Naqfaal continues to be a fine
venue in Athlone for hosting the SIS workshops.
SIS has held two mentoring
workshops, in June and July 2010,
as part of its next six-month cycle
of program activities from June November.
Thanks
to
a
recruitment drive facilitated by the
Cape Music Industry Commission
(CapeMIC), seven protégés have
signed up, with fees paid, for the
five workshops between June –
November this year.
Mentors
carrying out the workshops were: Monique
Hellenberg and Lisa Bauer in June covering such
topics as relaxation techniques, breathing, ‘finding
your own voice’, and song interpretation. These
two songbirds took turns playing piano while the
other sang in order to demonstrate ways to
interpret a song or standard. In July, visiting
vocalist and masters degree student, Nicky Schrire,
conducted her workshop on 24 July with
interesting advice and suggestions from her
experience living in USA about how to be
mentored,
choosing
your
mentor,
taking
opportunities to learn from others, and ways to
develop those mentoring relationships. She also
spoke about ways to promote oneself and one’s
products via the Internet tools, like Facebook,
Youtube, MySpace, etc. Upcoming workshops will
include end-of-month mentoring workshop on 28
August, 25 September, and 30 October, and
feature Mentors Muriel Marco and Nomfundo
Xaluva. In between workshops, protégés carry out
mentoring activities with their Mentors, and journal
their experiences for discussion when all convene
at workshops.
Photographer Jolene Cartmill and her assistant,
Nomonde, are producing both DVD versions of the
workshops as well as still photographs. These
materials are archived for future use with proteges.
Also, a library of reading and listening materials is
developing with the kind donation of two books
Besides much needed funding, current needs of
the SIS program include a part-time Manager to
administer SIS. The earlier manager, Helga
Hellenberg, did a splendid job of keeping all
afloat, but has had to leave the project. This has
left Coordinator, Carol Martin, continuing the
important communication and planning tasks, but
she has suggested that a Committee of three
people run the show. A Job Description for
Manager
is
available
from
Carol
at
seawave@iafrica.com, or by calling 082 740 2829
or 021-434-7237.
Interested
supporters
and
sponsors
are
encouraged to contact either Carol Martin (082
740 2829) at seawave@iafrica.com or Diane Rossi
(082 515 7051) at sajejazz@gmail.com Those
interested in being mentored or engaging as
Mentors may also contact any of the above
named Mentors they may know.
♫ Editor: The Sisters in Sound mentorship project is funded
by a grant from the National Arts Council of South Africa.
Look for Sisters in Sound on FACEBOOK.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NEWS FROM JAZZ AT THE NASSAU
Forthcoming concerts at Jazz at the Nassau
Sunday 15 August: Frank Mallows/Brydon Bolton Quartet.
Sunday 24 September: Ian Smith's Delft Big Band benefit concert (all takings go to his project)
Sunday 31 October: Ladies of Jazz (see page 3) plus Erica Lundi with the Andrew Ford Trio.
•
The concerts take place at the Nassau Centre, Groote Schuur High School, Palmyra Road, Newlands, Cape
Town on Sundays from 19h30 - 22h00. Ticket price is R80 (subject to change).
•
Booking is through Cliff Wallis Tel: (021) 761-2726 or cell: 076-401-0008 or email:
cliffwallis@gmail.com
NEWS FROM UCT (University of Cape Town)
SOUTH AFRICAN COLLEGE OF MUSIC JAZZ CONCERTS
SECOND SEMESTER, 2010
SACM CENTENARY FESTIVAL: UCT BIG BAND - COUNT BASIE BIRTHDAY BASH
Saturday 21 Aug at 8.15 pm
Baxter Concert Hall
Mike Campbell and the UCT Big Band celebrate the music of Count Basie on his birthday.
Prices: R50 / UCT Staff: R45 / Senior citizens and students: R35 / learners: R25
SACM JAZZ FESTIVAL: Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 October at 8.15 pm in the Chisholm Recital Room
This annual SACM Jazz Festival features the UCT Big Band and other groups from the Jazz Programme. The performers
include Mike Campbell, Andrew Lilley, Mike Rossi, Jason Reolon, Amanda Tiffin with various groups and special guest
artists, including German pianist Patrick Bebelaar and students from the Stuttgart Conservatory of Music, Germany.
Lunchtime concert on Thursday 14 October:
JAZZ UND ELEKTRONIK featuring music from their recently-released CD recorded live at the BAXTER with Mike
Rossi (woodwinds), Ulrich Suesse (electronics) and Patrick Bebelaar (piano).
The South African College of Music, founded one hundred years ago, offers world class performances of
African and Western Classical music, jazz and opera on a weekly basis throughout the academic year. The
concerts take place on Tuesday evenings, with occasional concerts at the weekends. Visit the website at
http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/sacm/
Members of the public are welcome to attend the weekly performers’ classes and lunchtime concerts which
take place every Wednesday at 2 pm and Thursday at 1 pm respectively during the academic term.
Admission is free. Please contact GILLIAN LINDNER at gillian.lindner@uct.ac.za for other SACM jazz concerts,
lunch-hours and recitals.
North West University (Potchefstroom) welcomes new director and jazz program
North West University at Potchefstroom welcomed Dr. Karendra Devroop as the new
Director of the School of Music and Conservatory. Devroop a saxophonist and pianist
completed his PhD at the University of North Texas and spent 13 years teaching and
performing in the US before returning in June to take up his position as Associate Professor.
With several recordings to his credit and a recent performance with his quartet at the
Gretna Jazz festival alongside Cedar Walton, Devroop hopes to establish a jazz program at
North West University within the next few years. Together with the jazz program Devroop will
also focus on establishing a strong wind band program with the ultimate goal of having a
university wind ensemble in place in the coming years. In addition to his teaching and
performing Devroop has been actively engaged as a guest conductor, adjudicator and
clinician in the US. Although based in South Africa, he hopes to continue publishing his
research and writing original music for radio and television in the US and South Africa.
CD Release – Karen Devroop “Reminiscing”
Karen Devroop recently released his debut CD recording “Reminiscing” on the DMP Label in the US.
The CD has received excellent reviews abroad with airplay in the US, UK, Spain, Japan, Germany,
Switzerland, Denmark and Australia. “The Wise Gentleman”, a mellow track with Devroop on soprano
saxophone peaked at number 4 on the jazz charts in Spain before retreating. The CD is available
online and in most stores including itunes, Amazon, CD Baby and CD Warehouse.
NEWS from the University of South Africa (UNISA)
by Dr Chats Devroop
UNISA will be implementing its first Graded JAZZ Examinations for Pre-grade 1 and Grade 1 in 2011. These
examinations will be available for the following instruments: Piano, Bass, Saxes, Trumpet, Guitar and Drums. All
examinations will be conducted during the second examination session (Aug-Oct 2011). Any enquiries relating to
these examinations should be made to the Directorate Music - 012 429 2913. Published materials and syllabuses will
be available online (www.unisa.ac.za/music) and in print from 01 November 2010 onwards.
The First UNISA Jazz Summer School will take place between 22-28 January 2011 at the Tshwane University of
Technology in Pretoria. The Summer School is modelled on the International Jamey Aebersold Summer Camps and
embraces all levels of Jazz instruction (from novice through to graduate). International and local jazz pedagogues
include - from the USA: Bob Sinicrope, Tony Garcia, Corey Christiansen, Thomas Taylor, Denis DiBlasio, and from SA:
Melvin Peters, Mike Rossi, Marc Duby, Karen Devroop, Godfrey Mgcina, Melanie Scholtz, Noel Stockton, Johnny
Mekoa. This Summer school is open to the first 100 students and 50 teachers and is sponsored by the National
Lottery Distribution Fund. Therefore ONLY registration fees (R100 for Students and Teachers) in order to secure
attendance is compulsory. Accommodation, reasonable travel, transport, and meal costs will be subsidized by
UNISA. For further information contact Gavin Isaacs on 012-429 2583 or email isaacgg@unisa.ac.za
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
News from South African jazz students – compiled by Paul Sedres
It is twenty six years since the introduction of a formalised jazz course at tertiary level in South Africa. Jazz studies
was introduced at UKZN in 1983, followed by a jazz programme at UCT six years later.
Jazz education in South Africa prior to that happened mostly in smaller, largely informal schools of music in
different communities across the country, in musical homes, churches, community centres and mostly, of course,
on the bandstands, or wherever intrepid musicians could find a space to learn.
From 29 to 31 March 2009 the SAJE hosted its 10th Jazz Conference with Jazz Education: Past, Present and Future as
its theme. In the run up to the conference, we featured some recipients of jazz education in the country in the last
newsletter. These are stories of jazz students who report to us their stories, in their own words. Some are already
graduates who may be teaching, performing or studying further on foreign shores. Some may have attended a
jazz camp, festivals, gigs, or may just have one or other interesting jazz education story to tell. We will carry stories
like these for the next few editions of the newsletter.
In the last edition we heard from three jazz graduates with one thing in common: they all have recent experiences
studying in the US. Two more students have sent reports from Oslo, Norway, where both are currently on or have
just completed a year-long exchange programme.
• The UCT Jazz Studies Programme and the Norwegian Music Academy in Oslo established an exchange
programme a few years ago. Six South African students have benefitted from the exchange so far. We hear
from the latest recipients, Wathiq Hoosain and Ethan Smith, who sent us news a few weeks after settling into
their new environments.
Wathiq Hoosain is a jazz vocal and classical piano student. He is an experienced campaigner at the SBNYJF,
having occupied the vocalist seat in the National Schools Big Band for three years in a row.
He first learnt jazz while still at primary school, eagerly absorbing opportunities presented to him via a community
based music programme, Turfjamp. He attended Muizenberg and Westerford High Schools in Cape Town, gaining
further experience while also learning with Shannon Mowday and Deborah Tanguy.
My musical experiences thus far
I have been privileged enough to be exposed to- and learn with leading musicians from the start of my musical journey. I
started singing at the age of 12 and was soon introduced to a music project called Turfjamp at my primary school. I began
the transition from classical choir to a jazz ensemble setting and really developed a keen interest for Jazz music. Paul Sedres
gave me my first jazz recording and I soon fell in love with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday. This was a
pivotal point for me. I could not get enough of this and soon my musical hunger was being fulfilled by the sounds of Tierney
Sutton, Mark Murphy, Kurt Elling and David Linx. There was no turning back.
After a few months at Turfjamp, we were introduced to Shannon Mowday. We prepared for a concert at the Baxter Theatre my first ever Jazz Concert. My over-ambitious nature and sheer boost of adrenalin drove me to sing “Joy Spring” by Clifford
Brown, done in a tempo that was too fast that evening, but it was the greatest lesson of my life.
I was so inspired by Mowday that I asked if I could have individual lessons with her during the week- this conveniently
coincided with school and I enjoyed spending time around the UCT College of Music. The sounds of “Twisted” by Wardel
Gray still reverb in my ear.. At the same time, I was introduced to Deborah Tanguy and Shannon’s Band Galumphing. I felt
like a kid in a candy store just watching them rehearse and being able to perform with them was both amazing and scary. I
always missed my entry and could never get my starting note, (this does not happen that often any longer though.)
Since then I have been lucky enough to learn with many musicians other than my
main mentors- Tanguy and Mowday. I have gained influences not only from the
Jazz idiom but from Classical as well as Folk Music. Soon after having vocal
lessons with Tanguy, I moved onto the piano. I started classical piano lessons at
Westerford High School under the direction of Shelley Ainsworth. This gave me a
great foundation and discipline, as well as opening me up to another universe of
music I never knew.
I have been a member of the National Schools Big Band for most of my High
School career and after matriculating last year, I have been a student at the South
African College of Music and now currently at Norges Musikkhogskøle, Norway. I
am part of an exchange programme between UCT and the Academy for a year. I
am studying Jazz Performance, majoring in voice and doing piano as a sub-major.
I have been in Norway since mid August and already I can say that it has been life changing. There is so much on offer and I
am taking full advantage of rubbing shoulders with some of the finest musicians I have heard in my life. The syllabus and
focus at the Academy is different to South Africa, the focus is very personal-based on what you want to achieve as a musician.
There is a great focus on developing and nurturing innate skills and exploring artistic creativity. The atmosphere at the
Academy is incredibly receptive, allowing musical interaction and free flow of ideas. I am really happy to have Gurp Gravem
Johansenn as my practical teacher and I look forward to the rest of my stay in Oslo which promises to be inspiring.
Wathiq Hoosain
Ethan Smith is a saxophonist who attended Settlers High School in Cape Town. He is another regular at the SBNYJF
and decided to pursue a degree in jazz in 2008. He is the recent winner of the FMR Pick ‘n Pay Travel Award.
Most people who have traveled would agree on one thing – traveling opens up the mind (and sometimes spirit) to new
experiences, new perspectives, new cultures, and ways of life that are different to your own in some way or another. I have
been given the amazing opportunity to travel to Norway on a year-long exchange programme to further my studies at the
Norwegian Academy of Music.
Not only was it an amazing opportunity to travel, but it was also my first time outside of South Africa. Naturally, I had
paramount feelings of anxiety coupled with excitement!
Coming into a country halfway across the world from your own is, well, unmistakably different. As can be safely assumed,
these different facets filter through in everything. It is a new culture, people and lifestyle; some things are even polar
opposites to what I am used to back home.
My first musical experience in Norway happened at a jam session the first Thursday since we arrived. It was an
overwhelming experience. There were mainly students there. There was no way you could have missed the level and standard
of playing by these musicians; some had not even started their tertiary musical training yet! I felt very intimidated and had a
bit of my spirit scarred. I knew it would be hard work for the time that I have been granted here.
Varsity started and things got going at a slow pace at first. I met my saxophone teacher, Morten Halle, the second Thursday
since landing. My first lesson with him was immensely rewarding. We did not play much, he sat me down and asked me about
my musical background, the kinds of music/artists I listen to, what style of playing resonates well with me, what I would like
to work on while I’m here and what I would like him to help me with. What impressed me was that he had a little black
notebook in which he took down these details for each of his students. He said he would set up the lectures and teaching to
focus on my individual needs and style. I had a glistening smile on my face as I walked out of his office and an ardent thirst
for the rest of the year with him.
Ethan Smith (picture by Ferenc Isaacs)
I have noticed that they take great pride in growing world-class musicians at the
Academy. They endorse each student’s individual voice and make it their priority
to nurture that aspect of each student. This was an approach to teaching I was
extremely impressed with and the sort of approach I had been longing to find and
be a part of.
Also, they place a strong emphasis on playing. For example, twice a year they
have what they call Project Weeks where no lectures take place and all you do is
play from 10am to 3pm everyday of that week under the guidance of a senior
lecturer. They arrange the students into ensembles of various sizes for these
projects. Another example (I am not sure if all the lecturers for this subject take
the same approach though) is the Jazz Setting course – the equivalent of our Jazz
Theory course. One week the lecturer explains a new concept to us on paper. He
then encourages us to experiment with this concept and compose tunes using this
concept (or parts of it) which we would then play the following week. So the lesson and theory is not only on paper; it gets
explained and then also made concrete as a sound when the whole class plays tunes based on the concept.
For me, those are the two most significant aspects of their teaching style at NMH (amongst other things of course), and two
that have been of huge benefit to me in the sense that I now get to play styles that I would not normally play, and play with
musicians who prefer to play a style that is different to my own, and who play it well.
Winning the FMR Award could not have come at a better time for me. I am thrilled and humbled by it – especially since now I
have become one of the people whose name has been added to a list of previous FMR winners who I hold in high esteem. Kyle
Shepherd – my greatest musical influence and mentor thus far - and Chris Engel – who has been a saxophone player I always
respected (and still do). Chris has also been a great help here in Oslo.
We have been here for just over a month now. So much has happened; many things have improved as well. My playing, my
ear, my adaptation skills, my exposure to different music, exposure to strengths and weaknesses – mine and others’.
I look forward to the rest of the year in Oslo.
Ethan Smith
♫ Editor: We would love to hear from students at other institutions around the country and welcome any news you
may want to send for publication in the SAJE newsletter. Please send details to sedresp@gmail.com (Paul Sedres)
or to sajejazz@gmail.com (Diane Rossi). In the next issue of SAJE NEWS, we will hear from vocalist Lisa Bauer and
saxophonist Justin Bellairs amongst others.
18th STANDARD BANK NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ FESTIVAL – 2010
by Donné Dowlman
The annual SBNYJF took place at its usual venue (The Music School of the Diocesan School for Girls) from
Wednesday 23 June to Tuesday 29 June 2010 concurrent with the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown.
320 young musicians between the ages of 13 and 26 rehearsed daily in a big band or vocal group and chose to
attend an array of workshops and electives on jazz topics such as improvisation, jazz history, sound engineering,
instrumental clinics, composition or jazz harmony. These were led by a collection of some of the best professional
jazz players and educators in the country as well as visiting foreign teachers and performers. Students were able to
listen to some of the best live jazz in South Africa (52 performances over the duration of the festival), as the course
lecturers (8 nationalities) performed each night in the DSG Hall (the SBNYJF venue) as part of the Standard Bank
Jazz Festival, Grahamstown.
Two national bands were chosen at the Festival: the STANDARD BANK NATIONAL SCHOOLS’ JAZZ BAND and the
STANDARD BANK NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ BAND. These bands performed on the main jazz stage of the National Arts
Festival and the SBNYJB will tour Cape Town & Johannesburg later in the year. The SBNSBB was conducted by
Terrence Scarr, and the SBNYJB by Prof Mike Campbell.
Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band 2010:
Back Row: L – R: Siya Charles (UCT – trombone), Annemie Nel
(Stellenbosch Univ – drums), Stephen Bell (UCT – piano), Sandile
Gontsana (UCT – voice), Romy Brauteseth (Port Elizabeth – bass),
Lou-Ann Stone (Stellenbosch Univ – alto sax)
Front Row: L – R: Gerrit Strydom (TUT – Guitar), Prof Mike Campbell
(Conductor), Sakhile Simani (UKZN – trumpet), Monique van Willingh (UCT – flute)
Standard Bank National Schools Big Band 2010:
Back Row: L – R: Jason Smythe (St John’s College – trombone), David Arnot (St John’s
College – guitar), Jaren Hendricks (Stirling – drums), Hylton Foster (Stirling – trombone),
Matthew Meas (Settlers - alto), Joshua Brookbanks (Westerford – trumpet), Callum
McDonald (SACS – bass)
Middle Row: L – R: Marco Maritz (Stellenbosch – trumpet), Xola dos Santos (Stirling –
trombone), Samkelwe Solomon (Stirling – Bari), Lisa Schreiber (Stirling – piano), Daniel
Burger (Stirling – tenor), Matthew Budden (Rondebosch - tenor), Aaron Lynch (Stirling –
trumpet)
Front Row: L – R: Murray Buitendag (Stirling – trombone), Matthew Ehrenreich
(Rondebosch – alto) , Terrence Scarr (Conductor), Allicia Domoney (All Saints), Matthew
Hurworth (Rondebosch – trumpet)
PERFORMERS AND TEACHERS 2010 - SOUTH AFRICAN
Drums: Justin Badenhorst, Clement Benny, Kevin Gibson, Kesivan Naidoo, Jonno Sweetman
Bass: Prince Bulo, Marc Duby, Victor Masondo, Carlo Mombelli
Piano: Darius Brubeck, Andrew Lilley, Afrika Mkhize, Melvin Peters, Andile Yenana, George Werner
Guitar: Errol Dyers
Sax: Robbie Jansen, Shannon Mowday, Barney Rachabane, Ezra Ngcukana
Trumpet: Feya Faku, Brian Thusi, Marcus Wyatt
Trombone: John Davies
Voice: Sibongile Khumalo, Siya Makuzeni, Melanie Scholtz, Amanda Tiffin
Teachers: Duncan Combe, Ramon Alexander, Felicia Lesch, Terrence Scarr, John Walton, Mike Campbell, Mike Bester
VISITING ARTISTS
Drums: Erik Nylander (Norway), Jasper van Hulten (Netherlands), Braka (France), Sebastiaan Kaptein (Netherlands/Japan)
Bass: Bjørn Alterhaug (Norway), Hein van de Geyn (Netherlands), Gulli Gudmundsson (Netherlands), David de Marez Oyens
(Netherlands), Jo Fougner Skaansar (Norway), Seigo Matsunaga (Japan)
Piano: Danilo Perez (Panama/US), Jeroen van Vliet (Netherlands), Malcolm Braff (Switzerland), Vigleik Storaas (Norway), Nicolai
Thärichen (Germany)
Guitar: Gorm Helfjord (Norway / SA)
Sax: Nicolas Stephan (France), Frode Nymo (Norway), John Pål Inderberg (Norway), Jari Perkiömäki (Finland)
Flute: Peter Guidi (Netherlands)
Trumpet: Eric Vloeimans (Netherlands), Arne Hiorth (Norway), Frank Brodahl (Norway)
Trombone: Samuel Blaser (Switzerland)
Tuba: Daniel Malavergne (France)
Voice: Natascha Roth (Germany), Marc Secara (Germany), Paulien van Schaik (Netherlands), Lucia Recio (France)
Alan Webster (Festival Director)
Donné Dowlman (Production)
Brian Thusi (Teaching co-ordinator)
Les van der Veen (Chief Sound Engineer)
We are very grateful to the following sponsors for making the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival possible:
•
Standard Bank
•
Goethe Institute of South Africa
•
SAMRO
•
ProHelvetia
•
French Institute of South Africa
•
Landesverband der Musikschulen Brandenburg
•
Mmino
•
Basel Akademie
•
Paul Bothner Music
•
US Embassy
•
INTERACTIONS SA-NL - Theater Instituut Nederland / Music Centre The Netherlands / the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
♫ Editor: Since its inception in 1992 the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival (SBNYJF) has become one of the most
significant jazz development programmes in the country, annually bringing together over 300 students and 40 teachers
with nearly 60 professional jazz musicians and educators from diverse backgrounds, coming from across South Africa and
the world.
The SBNYJF, which runs concurrent with the Standard Bank Jazz Festival during the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown,
lasts nearly a week and incorporates innovative jazz performances, rehearsals, workshops, lectures and an opportunity
for South Africa's future jazz stars to interact personally and musically with their peers and the country's top performers.
In 2010, the conductor of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band was Professor Mike Campbell, Head of the Jazz
School at the University of Cape Town. He has been involved in the SBNYJF since 1996 as bass player, teacher and
conductor. The conductor of the Standard Bank National Schools' Big Band 2010 was Terrence Scarr, Head of Music at
Rondebosch Boys High School in Cape Town.
Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival 2011
Wednesday 29 June to Tuesday 5 July
www.youthjazz.co.za
The World In Grahamstown
– a view of The Standard Bank National Jazz Festival 2010
By Amanda Tiffin
What an intense, inspiring and exhausting 10 days it was: to name it in full (deep breath): The Standard Bank National
Jazz Festival, incorporating the National Youth Jazz Festival. I totally love the Arts Festival at Grahamstown - there are
many fond and marvellous memories of each one I have attended (since the first with a Carpenters Show in 1995). With
so much theatre, music, ballet, art all swirling about in one place I am in absolute heaven. (Although whenever I go as
part of the Jazz festival there is little time for me to take in all the plays I eagerly mark in my program... this year I saw
only one. I am threatening to go next year purely as an audience member... which I haven't managed to do in all my
years of festival-going!)
The jazz part of the Festival has grown into an incredible microcosm of International relations interwoven with a vibrant
Youth Element. This year was no disappointment - some of the world's best and SA's finest met and made music
together. Musical highlights for me personally: Danilo Perez (Panama) with Hein Van De Geyn (Netherlands) Frode Nymo
(Norway) and Kesivan Naidoo (SA) What spontaneous joy, what excitement and breath-catching glee!
Hein van de Geyn (love Hein) playing in duo with delightful singer Paulien Van Schaik. Exquisite exquisite exquisite.
The Cape All Stars with the inimitable Robbie Jansen - how lucky I count myself to have caught that concert, 2 weeks
before Robbie left this world.
And of course my own concerts. The other two members of my trio from Japan - the a.s.k
trio - journeyed across oceans to join us in SA for the first time. Seigo Matsunaga (Japan)
and Sebastiaan Kaptein (Netherlands, and now Japan) are my wonderful co-collaborators in
this project, and I was eager to show them off to my friends, fans and colleagues here in
SA. We did two concerts in Grahamstown, and two in Cape Town. And in between there
was a whole lot of enthusiastic soccer-watching, some sight-seeing, a little beer-drinkingvia-vuvuzela and even a bit of Game viewing at Addo Elephant Park (my thanks to the
giraffe for their spectacular late entrance, timing was impeccable, what a finale!)
a.s.k trio – photo by Deborah Rossouw
Our concerts went off really well ( it is always great to play to a capacity audience at the Nassau Centre in Cape Town thanks to the endeavours of organiser, Cliff Wallis). It was truly gratifying, and humbling, to receive comments like "Your
music is healing" and "Your trio is so organic." Although ideally we're all supposed to believe in what we do, disregarding
the opinions of others, the truth of the matter is that comments like these help so much to confirm that something is
working as it should...
The real highlight of the SBN Jazz festival at Grahamstown, for me, is being involved with the Youth Jazz festival. This
year was no exception - hundreds of young, talented musicians from around the country descended upon the Halls and
classrooms of the DSG School Campus, bringing with them their energy and enthusiasm, which always makes interacting
and teaching them a true privilege.
This year's festival was alive with many wonderful international singers - how lucky
were we to interact with such remarkable people. The singing students' swelled to
number around 80, as we were joined by 20 young singers from Germany, who were
visiting as part of the Young Voices Of Brandenburg, together with their director,
Marc Secara (who is no slouch in the singing department himself). Workshops were
often convened under the big tree near the fountain under the wintry sun, as our
little room could barely hold the numbers. The workshops included exercises in free
vocal expression conducted by French singer Lucia Recio, memory and warm-up
games involving physical collages led by Marc, coaching sessions accompanied by a
professional (and patient) rhythm section with German singer Natascha Roth and
Paulien Van Schaik, and an inspirational talk from Sibongile Khumalo (the students
are still in awe...).
And a very proud teacher was I at this year's festival for numerous reasons (and number them, I shall):
1. 3 out of the four singing students to make it to the final selection of the National Youth Band were UCT students.
2. Sandile Gontsana, one of my post-graduate students was the person the panel selected.
3. Sandile was no less than cooking on his National Youth Band performance! He has not been dubbed the Scatman for
nothing!
4. My newly established (6 months old) UCT Jazz Vocal Ensemble was selected as the best Ensemble at UCT, and were
sponsored by the UCT College of Music to go to Grahamstown to perform.
5. They worked so very very hard, rehearsing every day for over a month. And it showed - their performance was
spectacular! Watch out New York Voices...
6. My 2010 Festival Youth Choir sang so beautifully - not an easy task to master unfamiliar jazz vocal harmonies in just a
few days. (The choir comprised only High School Students - I tell you South Africans have the gift of song in abundance)
The Vocal Celebration Concert on the last evening of the Youth Festival was a vibrant
affair. How marvellous to witness the excitement of these young singers as they took
the stage to swing their stuff. Various soloists, a duet from two talented High School
singers, the UCT Ensemble, and we closed the evening with 3 songs from our Festival
Youth Choir, who absolutely sang their hearts out. As Paulien said to me afterwards
"You are so lucky to be part of this - the joy on their faces is just priceless". Priceless
indeed.
NEWS FROM PORT ELIZABETH AND NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
Correspondent: John Edwards
Sad passing of local jazz legend Erroll Cuddumbey
The Port Elizabeth music community was shocked to learn of the passing of one of its local legends when much loved jazz
pianist and composer Erroll Cuddumbey passed away on Saturday 6 June 2010. An inspiration to countless young artists,
Erroll was without a doubt one of the most prominent names that comes to mind when talking about the history of jazz in
Port Elizabeth.
Jazz at NMMU
Jazz lecturer/pianist John Edwards moved from Grahamstown to Port Elizabeth in January 2010 and now holds the post of
Jazz Studies Lecturer at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. He has performed regularly in 2010 with a jazz trio
that features Grahamstown-based musicians Kingsley Buitendag (bass) and Steve Ellis (drums). Noteworthy concerts were
hosted by music societies in the region, namely, Port Elizabeth and Mossel Bay.
John also performed at the Fifa Fan Fest Park in July with Port Elizabeth- based musicians Tim Robinson and Devon van
Rooyen. Upcoming concerts include a quintet performance which will be hosted by the Grahamstown Music Society on
September 25: John, Tim and Devon will be performing with trombonist Kyle Du Preez and trumpeter Xolani Faku.
The Mandela Bay Big Band (MB3) was formed in June 2010 by NMMU’s saxophone and clarinet lecturer Gareth Williams.
He has assembled some of the finest young talent the Bay has to offer. Funded by FIFA and the Department of Arts and
Culture, MB3 staged two highly successful shows at the PE Opera House during the World Cup. Rather than being yet
another Big Band playing standard repertoire, the decision to play proudly South African music was the main goal when
creating the band. The FIFA shows contained a vibrant blend of mbaqanga, marabi, jive, swing and Cape Ghoemas. The
band’s debut show on 11 June also featured brand new original music by John Edwards. The band includes several
members (past and present) of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Bands, namely, Kyle Du Preez, Tim Robinson and
Romy Brauteseth. NMMU music students were also featured along with Bay rising stars like Phumlani Mtiti and Xolani
Faku. (See ‘Big Band pic’ attachments)
Port Elizabeth bassist and former NMMU student Romy Brauteseth was selected as a member of the 2010 National Youth
Jazz Band at the Standard Bank Jazz Festival in July.
Former youth jazz band member and current NMMU student Kyle Du Preez performed on the jazz festival main stage,
playing with the North Sea Big Band and jazz stalwarts from the Eastern Cape – Andile Yenana and Feya Faku.
Mandela Bay Fest of Sound
From 6-8 August, the NMMU campus will be reverberating with the sound of about 250 young musicians who will be
participating in the Mandela Bay Fest of Sound. This year, the theme is ‘Making Music, Making History’ and the aim is to
educate young players about their role as performers – past, present and future, with specific focus on their role in music
development and their societies in general. The festival coincides with the international centennial celebration of the
concert band. The series of workshops and performances, hosted by the Mandela Bay Symphonic Wind Orchestra
(MBSWO), will take place at the NMMU South Campus.
On Saturday 7th August (18h30), a jazz night featuring top young jazz combos from the Bay and East London is scheduled.
Included in the lineup will be the Mandela Bay Big Band (MB3) which was launched during the World Cup period and
received great acclaim for its ‘proudly South African’ repertoire. A guest performance by East London’s Stirling High Big
Band directed by Alan Webster, festival director of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz festival will also be featured.
On Sunday 8th (17h00), a Gala Concert featuring highlights from participating wind ensembles, orchestras and ethnic
ensembles from across the Eastern Cape and from Cape Town, will feature brand new South African compositions and
arrangements by SA composers Peter-Louis van Dijk and Michael Viljoen. A massed band performance will be conducted
by Gareth Williams (MBSWO), Peter-Louis van Dijk and head adjudicator Gustavo Fontana from the University of
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Other specialists participating in the event include Magda De Vries, John Edwards and Gareth Walwyn. Various
instrumental specialists from across the country will be involved in rehearsals and master classes, including Prof Erik
Albertyn (NMMU) and Sean Kiermann (Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble). Enquiries: Ulagh Williams
(mbswoinfo@gmail.com, 083 627 4686)
Gareth Williams – MB3 director
The Mandela Bay Big Band (MB3)
LETTER FROM NEW YORK
by Nicky Schrire
July/August 2010
My First New York
Hello beautiful people from a
beautiful country.
Paul Sedres, a South African now
living in Paris and beloved figure in
the SA music industry, sent me an
article from the Huffington Post this
morning. It was written by an
American journalist and chronicles
her experience being in SA for the
World Cup and how incredible the
country is. Needless to say I started blinking back tears
ferociously as I waited for my train-and, no, it was not
the revolting humidity but overwhelming feelings of
patriotism and the ensuing emotions. I’m so glad I’ll get
to experience the tail-end of this incredible atmosphere
that people in all corners of the world are talking about.
While the FIFA World Cup has been lighting up the South
African skies with sparkle and excitement, I have been
quietly (or as quietly as is possible in a city like New York)
enjoying my school-free summer. I have been interning
at a small record label, Anzic Records, and an artist
management agency, Orange Grove Artists. The former
is co-owned by clarinetist, Anat Cohen, and pianist,
Oded Lev-Ari, while the management agency is
founded and owned by Oded’s wife, Amy Cervini. Both
operations share a one-room office in the East Village,
which has become an air-conditioned haven that I’ve
adored frequenting three times a week.
It's been such a joy walking into an office where Oded
calls me "Nick Nack" while offering me espresso and
Lindt chocolate, and Amy shuffles around with their 8
week old baby suspended from her torso in a Baby
Bjorn. My tasks have involved shipping off CD orders,
filing paperwork, researching radio/press details, and
consolidating Amy's contacts (she basically gave me
her permission to snoop around her computer and the
education has been priceless!). Oh, yes, and babysitting
(delightful when the baby is adorable with a capital A
and has a penchant for licking my neck).
Last weekend also saw me selling Anat's CDs at her Jazz
Standard gig, which was the ultimate gig of the NYC
CareFusion Jazz Festival. The Festival lasted the whole of
last week and occurred in multiple venues-Herbie
Hancock at Carnegie Hall, Gretchen Parlato at
Symphony Space (amazing, amazing, amazing gig), a
jam session at City Winery, etc. Selling CDs might sound
banal, but it was brilliant to meet the staff at the Jazz
Standard (owned by restauranteur Danny Meyer, the
only venue with really great food AND incredible artists),
get to hear Anat (jazz clarinet isn't my first love but she's
incredibly brilliant, played with Peter Washington and
Lewis Nash, and played almost all blues numbers-so
fabulous to hear one good blues after another. My
friend and mentor, Andrew Lilley, always said most
people don’t have enough blues in their playing and he
was right.), and learn more about the business.
The actual job aside, getting to explore the East Village
weekly has been blissful. I've grown very fond of the
man who sings Beatles tunes in the walkway when I
transfer from the “2” train to the cross-town “L”.
Angelica Kitchen, a vegan paradise, has been a haven
and delicious escape and their miso soup (using
sweetened miso in the summer) is the best I've ever
tasted, as is their raw tahini sauce. Liquiteria makes a
great smoothie-Mudslide is my favourite, comprising
blueberries, banana, rice milk, spirulina, and vegan
protein. Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar delights my
palate endlessly with soft-serve flavours like Cereal Milk,
Zucchini Bread and Honey Dew Melon.
My nights have been spent, of course, hearing jazz. This
month has seen me front and center hearing Stacey
Kent at Birdland, Jane Monheit at the Blue Note and
Austrian singer, Maria Neckam, at Joe’s Pub. I also had
my first gig in the city at a venue called Tutuma Social
Club on the East Side. It was really brilliant playing with
such wonderful musicians (for those of you familiar with
“the google”, my quartet was made up of Jesse Lewis
on guitar, Desmond White on double bass and Brian
Adler on drums), and seeing faces, familiar and foreign,
enjoying the music.
Anyway, my return to the Motherland is imminent and
I’m looking forward to a couple of months filled with
soccer madness, Milo, walks in Kalkbay followed by
coffee at Olympia Café, catching up with family and
friends, and some exciting gigs. I’ll be playing with old
friends and new friends (a pianist from MSM will be
visiting me in Cape Town in August and we have some
delicious concerts lined up) at the Nassau, Green
Dolphin, Rainbow Room and more. If you’re at all
interested in one or more of these gigs, you can find
details on www.myspace.com/nickyschrire Till then, I will
leave you with some anecdotes from a book I’m
currently reading.
I don't manage to read a lot of books. I always
defended this by saying that I spend all my time reading
music (which, arguably, is also a language of sorts).
However, this undesirable trait is balanced by the fact
that when I do get round to reading a book, it is, more
often than not, worth reading and well reviewed and
regarded. At the moment, I am reading a book called
"My First New York", which is a compilation of first
accounts of this crazy city by artists, architects, athletes,
musicians, actors, dancers, and journalists. The idea for
the book was born out of a column of the same title in
New York Magazine that received such positive
responses they invited more stories. The stories are told
chronologically from the person's arrival in the city
regardless of age. It's been so lovely reading accounts
of this city I've come to know and love and hate and
love again that talk of places I've visited or have yet to
see.
It's made me think of my "first New York" and how
different it is from all of these accounts. It makes me
appreciate, even more, how fortunate I am, but it also
enables me to celebrate how unique my experience is. I
don't want to ruin the book for those of you that might
read it, but there's no better way for me to pay tribute
to this city other than sharing some of my favourite
quotes with you. It is also by far the most accurate way
for you to gauge some of the thoughts and feelings I've
had these past nine months-uncannily documened by
people from various walks of life. As much as my NYC
experience is specific to me, so many things are shared,
whether one likes it or not. It's New York and the way in
which she works.
From the preface:
"What you are holding is a collection of fifty-six
testaments to a larger revelation, one that arrivals of all
stripes and all eras have experienced again and again,
regardless of how the city proceeds to treat them. It is
something songwriter Rufus Wainwright terms "having
cracked the code of living life to the fullest." Becoming
a New Yorker is a bit of a victory in itself, and so every
story in this book has a happy ending by default. It
comes with the territory."
Dan Rather (journalist):
"New York is never a megalopolis of however many
millions; it's always just your neighbourhood-the shoe
repair guy, the carpenter, the grocer, the post office-like
any small town in Texas, really."
(And in the case of my 'hood-the chocolate shop, the
scone/tea shop, the French bakery and the Italian cafe)
Liza Minelli (actress/singer, daughter of Judy Garland):
"I loved all that hurrying. I still love it. You always want
more, and you want it now-bigger, brighter, better,
more friends, more passion, more love, just more! It's
how teenagers think. And I still think that way about the
city, so I get to be a teenager my whole life."
Nora Ephron (writer/filmmaker):
"I thought [New York] was going to be the most exciting,
magical, fraught-with-possibility place that you could
ever live in; a place where if you really wanted
something, you might be able to get it; a place where
I'd be surrounded by people I was dying to be with. And
I turned out to be right."
Judy Collins (singer/songwriter):
"Within two months of getting to New York I was in
therapy."
(I've lasted 9 months sans therapist or "analyst" as the
Americans like to say...but then again, I have a
wonderful teacher and ever-present set of parents and
siblings...maybe I haven't completely escaped!)
Jann Wenner (magazine editor):
"New York loves ambitious people-eats them up."
Andre Aciman (writer):
"I can sense this is exactly the New York I'd been
dreaming of but was afraid to go looking for because I
feared it existed only in Leonard Bernstein and in Billy
Wilder's films-not the East Side, not the Bronx, not
Queens, but a narrow strip whose name, as I would find
out soon enough, is the Upper West Side."
Ending in my neighbourhood, I shall leave you with that
last quote and the images of idyllic, straight-form-amovie New York.
Much love and see (some of) you very soon
Nicky xxx
♫ Editor: Nicky – a Masters student at the Manhattan
School of Music in NY, sends a monthly LETTER FROM
NEW YORK which is posted on our website.
We hereby acknowledge our 2010/2011 SAJE Associate Members
Thank you for your continued support!
BISHOPS (Diocesan College)
CAPE TOWN BIG BAND JAZZ FESTIVAL
CENTRE FOR JAZZ & POPULAR MUSIC : UKZN
espAFRIKA
MUSICRAFT
RHODES UNIVERSITY – MUSIC DEPT
RONDEBOSCH BOYS HIGH SCHOOL
RUSTENBURG GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
SA COLLEGE OF MUSIC, UCT : JAZZ STUDIES DEPT
SACS (SA College Schools)
SAJE Honorary Life Members: Cathy Brubeck, Darius Brubeck, Glynis Malcolm-Smith and Prof Dennis Tini
NEWS FROM CAPE TOWN:
UCT Honours student and flautist Monique van Willingh recently won the sixth annual Pick’n Pay/FMR
101.3 Music Award (R20,000) in the Jazz category. Mention must be made of the fact that all six finalists were
UCT music students - jazz & classical (the competition is open to musicians throughout the country). The
runners up were Benjamin Jephtha on bass guitar and Linda Tshabalala on
saxophone in the Jazz Category. The runners up received Pick ‘n Pay gift
cards to the value of R2000. The competition encourages young musicians
between the ages of 18 and 28 who may have completed their studies and
who wish to further their careers and is launched annually in May through
the radio station. Visit www.fmr.co.za for more info.
Cape Town vocalist and Sisters in Sound mentor Monique Hellenberg will
be launching her first radio single “Imagine” on 6th September at On
Broadway, 44 Long Street Cape Town. Her debut album is called "Finally
Free” and is dedicated to her late twin sister, Lisa Hellenberg and will be
released in the near future. Watch this space!
♫ Editor: You can catch Monique van Willingh and Monique Hellenberg at Jazz at
the Nassau on Sunday 31st October 2010. See page 3 or email sajejazz@gmail.com
for more info.
Jazz Education Network (JEN)’s 1st Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO, USA
20-22 May, 2010
A review by Carol Martin
Returning to an old home next to the still flooded Mississippi River, St. Louis looked better than ever. Even a brand new
baseball Stadium painted the skyline as home to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team which has reached # 2 after the
Cincinnati Reds this year. I visited my alma Mater, St. Louis University, the first University west of the Mississippi River
(1898) with its beautiful gardens and splendid old brick and stone buildings. But it was at the University of Missouri’s St.
Louis campus where the jazz was happening! JEN took over the Student Center and transformed it into a three-story
inaugural, featuring some 39 clinics and panels, 48 performances, and 50+ exhibits. Three evenings at the state-of-the-art
acoustically perfect Touhill Performing Arts Center ran stellar lineups of 11 bands: The Clayton brothers hosted the JEN
All-Stars, The Brubeck Institute Quintet featured award-winners, Rufus Reid’s trio and the St. Louis Big Band with
percussionist Ruben Alvarez stunned all. Even Sweden’s Fredrik Noren brought winners of their jazz federation youth jazz
competition 2009 to perform. Vocalist Rosana Eckert captured as did the notorious Clayton Brothers Quintet for a few
chuckles, and the a cappella vocal sextet Sixth Wave, and the Caswell Sisters.
Day performances included the inventive “The Inventions Trio” of pianist Bill Mays, trumpeter Marvin Stamm, and cellist
Alisa Horn, offering different perspectives to a melding of classical music with jazz, i.e. Fantasias, inventions, preludes
and waltzes bouncing off improvised charts.
During the day’s events, it was in the Student Center ground lobby, adjacent to cafeteria, where one could chill out with a
bite to eat, or just a drink, and listen to some 6-8 youth bands each day = totalling around 22 bands in all! Some came
from as far as Bob Sinicrope’s Milton Academy in Massachusetts and Arizona. But it was the Capital Focus Jazz Band from
Washington DC with its 9 yr old cornet player that blew everyone away with their more traditional jazz. Trumpeter and
jazz educator Terell Stafford played along with several youth bands, including the impressive Missouri All State Jazz Band
2010, which boasts the best high school players from the State. There was also Phil Dunlop’s St. Louis All Stars with a
skilled female trumpeter who plans to continue her jazz music studies at University of North Texas. Phil’s JEN Outreach
program has paid off, using Jazz at the Bistro jazz club in downtown St. Louis as a performance venue young artists.
On Thursday, the first day of the 3-day conference, the JENeral Session, hosted by out-going JEN President Mary Jo and
in-coming President Lou Fisher, featured 80 year-old David Baker who spoke about how to make jazz education more
relevant, i.e. talk about the business of music. It needs VISION plus ACTION. Jim Widner of the University of Missouri/St.
Louis gave out the David Baker Scholarship awards to certain students, including one female student to attend the
University of MO. He spoke about volunteerism = caring leadership. The DOWNBEAT publisher spoke about the future of
jazz and gave out youth awards and an achievement award to Bob Sinicrope. Congrats to all!
Besides the day and evening concert performances, many clinics talked about the management and marketing of one’s
music through agency and through individual marketing using the social media, like Twitter and Facebook to building
relationships with one’s listening community. For instance, 659 people follow DJ Trentino (the presenter of one session)
on Twitter. Trentino advised that one’s messages should be conversational and personal, and the page content should be
inspirational. A Publicity Plan Workshop was offered in one panel to help artists conduct their research on their listening
audience so as to develop the right marketing strategy.
Social Media was a hot topic. Some of the uses of social media would be: as a tool for teaching; linking with other
educators and jazz students; building awareness of your program; asking for and listening to feedback from your
community; discovering new artists; reading about legends; watching video performances. Blogs and branding were the
final word.
Regarding marketing jazz in the 21st Century, media advocate Dawn DeBlaze talked about the importance of media in
promoting artistry. She says: be creative, use sound bites, be careful what one says, consider impact on listener’s ears.
Develop a relationship and sense of trust. Remember, a jazz audience is very opinionated so is easier to reach. Consider
the cultural fabric of your audience, and the online landscape. Be INTERACTIVE. The days of piloting a video are now
over with UTUBE! Another panellist says: ‘jazz is not in trouble’. More is happening now. The grant world has expanded.
As Wynton Marsalis says, “Jazz musos are like cockroaches – they will not go away!”
Digital music and methods were highlighted by John Kuzmich from Denver in his ‘Digital Magic’ presentation: “From ‘Live’
Recording (to MP3) to Web Posting in Minutes!”. (see www.kuzmich.com/st.Louis.pdf) He showed how one can record live
music simply by using a hand-held recorder, or Sony mini disc recorder. SBO magazine articles (School, Band, & Orchestra)
have tips, too. 128 kbps is the minimum requirement and standard for MP3 recording mode. Check www.tumblr.com which
stores 10 MB audio web files for free, and is good for blogging. Other sites he recommended are:
www.wordpress.com = has popular blog sites.
Podcast clinic = www.kuzmich.com. Useful for podcasts.
New Trier High School band records all its concerts on www.ntjazz.com and www.newtrier.k12.il.us/page.aspx?id=9595
This is a good example of ways to send albums to the community using the Internet.
Whereas MySpace was originally designed for music groups, www.YouTube.com allows one to broadcast oneself and
provide free downloads of other artists’ performances.
www.whotune.com is a free website for musos, although the Bandwidth doesn’t have quality. On Whotune, one can post
videos/pics for FREE! And can sell recordings.
www.artistshare.com features Maria Schneider who pools artist’s CDs and exposes them to public.
Saxophonist and jazz educator Ariel Alexander, a music doctoral student at University of Southern California, gave a most
interesting power point presentation about “Where are the Girls?” which I facilitated. Not only is her CV impressive, as is
her website, www.ArielAlexander.com, but her accomplishments are vast. Besides authoring a jazz combo teachers
manual for junior high and high school band directors, as well as providing master classes for youth bands, Ariel is
researching what factors deter females from pursuing instrumental jazz. She was part of the IAJE Sisters in Jazz
Collegiate All Stars. I plan to use her PPt with the Sisters in Sound Mentoring Project, and have shared information about
SIS with her.
Several panel discussions focused on the lack of support for the Arts in local governments. “Arts Advocacy” has become a
buzz word. What gets money in the school districts is ‘STEM’ - Science, Technology, English, and Maths. Rather, why not
make it ‘STEAM’ – add an ‘a’ for the Arts, and thereby steam ahead! Put students first, save money for opportunities for
students, rather than trying to save jobs in schools. The Partnership for 21st Century survey said: High schools did a lousy
job in personal accountability, effective work habits, working productively with others, punctuality, time and workload
management. So the Arts also suffer. Inspite of this daunting / dismal future, there was hope and more fun with Jazz for
K-8 students in Sherry Luchett’s “Flying Jazz Kitten” antics: the “jazz bar” for 6-8th graders using 3 xylophones taking
turns with bars and improvising. I can dig that!
Mary Jo Papich and her team have excelled in organizing this first conference of JEN! The future ones, in New Orleans this
January 2011, promise to be equally riveting, drawing a wider class of jazz educators from far and wide. The new JEN
President, Lou Fischer, will no doubt continue with Mary Jo’s fine supports – and what an act to follow! Best wishes to
Lou!!
♫ Editor: for more info, photos and videos of the 1st annual JEN Conference please visit www.jazzednet.org
Ndugu Chancler & Terell Stafford perform at
JEN Conference 2010.
(Photo Credit: Dawn DeBlaze)
(L-R): Justin Young (winner of David Baker scholarship sponsored
by Jamey Aebersold), Dr. Lou Fischer (JEN President elect),
Dr. David Baker, Mary Jo Papich (JEN President), Kim Aubuchon
(winner of Women in Jazz scholarship sponsored by Mary Jo Papich)
JEN Conference 2010 (Photo Credit: John Kuzmich)
The 2nd annual JEN CONFERENCE 6-8 January 2011 in New Orleans, USA
You will not want to miss the 2nd Annual JEN Conference! We will gather at the
historic Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, LA from January 6 - 8, 2011 for three
action packed days of performances, clinics, lectures and late night Jams.
Please visit www.jazzednet.org for more information.
JEN also has a FACEBOOK page.
The Benefits of the Study of Music: Why We Need Music Education in Our Schools features research
indicating that the study of music helps students achieve success in society, success in school and learning,
success in developing intelligence and success in life. This new brochure from The National Association for
Music Education (MENC) captures the latest facets and viewpoints from science and industry regarding music
education’s impact on student growth and achievement.
To find out more, visit www.menc.org
♫ Editor: from the August JAZZED Newsletter
The 20th IASJ (International Association of Schools of Jazz) Jazz Meeting 2010
The 20th IASJ Jazz Meeting 2010, took place where it started 20 years ago, in The Hague, The Netherlands. Over
40 schools of jazz from all over the world participated in the 20th IASJ Jazz Meeting 2010 from 26 June to 2 July.
About 120 jazz musicians in various stages of their professional career visited The Hague in the last week of June.
The six combos performed during the Future Jazz Concerts. Please check for the performances at
www.futurejazzconcerts.com or visit the IASJ website www.iasj.com for more info and to download the latest
IASJ Newsletter.
NEWS FROM CAPE TOWN
Robbie Jansen 1949 - 2010
THE CAPE DOCTOR – ROBBIE JANSEN, WILL BLOW NO MORE (PRESS RELEASE 7 July 2010)
Robert Edward Jansen, known as Robbie Jansen and many other nicknames,
died this afternoon after collapsing earlier in the month. Robbie suffered from
chronic lung problems, an irony for a man whose breath made him one of the
greatest jazz saxophonists South Africa has produced.
Amid the competition that the music business can create amongst performers,
Robbie was widely loved and respected for his phenomenal talent. He was an
artist with rare musical ability but also an artist with a singular understanding of the
entertainment business.
I had the honour to produce his 3 solo albums and feel the loss of this man in a
very personal way. Relationships between record label and artist are often
businesslike and with mutual respect but in the case of Robbie I can truly say he
was a friend I could work with at the same eye level. I will not forget his quick wit
and clever perceptions both musical and social. He understood and performed music in a wide range of styles
and always at the highest level. As a singer he was a stylist of unique abilities.
I worked with Robbie on and off since the mid 1970s. He sang and played in brass section of Pacific Express, he
was central to the success of the great Dollar Brand classic, “Mannenberg”. Later in Spirits Rejoice, Juluka, Oswetie
and the many other line-ups, Robbie brought joy to those who came to hear him perform. It was Robbie and Basil
Coetzee who recorded for me so many times and who helped define their beloved Cape Jazz.
His collapse in 2004 after the high point of a personal international breakthrough as leader of his own band and
the critical success of the Cape Doctor album was a turning point for him. His recovery was miraculous but left him
un-able to undertake air travel, but he never the less managed to record the SAMA nominated, Nomad Jez
album.
He was a dedicated cultural warrior with a clear political commitment. He leaves a huge gap in the African music
scene. My condolences go out to his wife Marcelle, children and family.
Patrick Lee-Thorp
Director – Mountain Records
www.mountainrecords.co.za
♫ Editor: Reprinted with kind permission of the author
R.Y.T.H.M
Reaching Youth Through Music
Our Music
A celebration of the Cape Town and South African Jazz Heritage
For students to be exposed to Cape Town and South African Jazz making them enthusiastic to explore
their musical heritage and incorporate it into their own music.
Projects for 2010: Following our two successful events in 2009, namely the “Our Music” Jazz Legends concert and
youth workshops held at the District Six museum and the Baxter Theatre, R.Y.T.H.M will be hosting a Heritage Day
Concert at the Baxter Theatre on 23 September 2010 featuring the Ngcukana brothers, Sibongile Khumalo and
Feya Faku amongst others. This concert will be a celebration of South African Jazz Music. On Heritage Day (24
September), we will host workshops for 120 young people in and around Cape Town at the UCT South African
College of Music, which will culminate in a free Youth Concert at the College of Music. Some of the proceeds of
the Baxter Concert will be used for a donation to one of the schools involved. In December, R.Y.T.H.M plans to
produce a South African Jazz Roadshow Project, where we will create a mini-musical showcasing South African
Jazz and its rich history and heritage. The “Our Music” musical will be taken to 10 schools in the Western Cape. This
project is funded by a grant from MMINO.
“Our Music” South African Jazz Legends Concert: 23 September 2010 at 20:15 Baxter Concert Hall
Tickets sales through Computicket
“Our Music” Heritage Day Youth Concert: 24 September 2010 at 16:00 South African College of Music - UCT
Admission free
Youth Workshops: 23 September 2010 from 10:00 - 16:00 at the South African College of Music - UCT
Admission free
For more information contact: Monique van Willingh at 072 -177 -7441 or monique.vanwillingh@gmail.com
Candice Martin at 072-280-8393 or candicemartin004@yahoo.com
SAJE Members in Romania
by Catherine Brubeck
Darius Brubeck visited Romania for 4 months as a Fulbright Grantee teaching at The Gheorghe
Dima Music Academy in Cluj, Transylvanjia and I put together a mini-tour billed as an
“American/Romanian Jazz Collaboration”. The band featured Romanian vocalist Teodora Enache,
Mike Rossi, ex-Durban drummer Wesley Gibbens and English bassist Matt Ridley.
A total of six concerts and a workshop were all very successful, particularly the concert in the
Teatrul Maghiar (Hungarian Theatre), Cluj, which drew an audience of around 700 people. The
concert recording may lead to a cd release. The band (minus Teodora) gave a workshop at the
Music Academy for around 50 students and staff and they also sat in with the local big band
directed by Stefan Vannai.
The students in Cluj were very enthusiastic and many of them came to both concerts there as well
as the workshop. Furthermore many teachers, including the head of the Gheorghe Dima Music
Academy, Prof Adrian Pop came to the concert in the Hungarian Theater and commented very
favourably on the performance and concept. Everyone connected with this project is willing to
return to Romania and, in particular, Mike expressed an interest in doing a Fulbright tour of duty. We hope that the
performances and engagement with students will motivate music teachers to include more jazz in their curriculum.
In Bucharest, the band played at the popular “Art Jazz” club. Darius, Teodora and Mike gave a special performance at the US
Cultural Center attended by Ambassador and Mrs Mark Gitenstein in celebration of 130 years of American/Romanian
relations and it also marked the 50th anniversary of the Fulbright Commission in Romania.
Darius gave an extensive TV Interview on “Garantat 100%”, a very popular national arts program and spoke about his time in
Romania and also played part of a new composition called “Mittel Europa”. He also made a guest appearance at the Cluj
Community Foundation with four students and gave a lecture-demonstration (Romantic Influence on Jazz Piano) as part of
the ‘Romantic Music Days’ festival sponsored by the Polish Cultural Center.
Students generally have a great command of English and the teaching plan at the Academy, which doesn’t offer jazz, was to
establish a common basis for everybody by focusing on jazz harmony and then on creative projects during the latter part of
the term..
At the very end of the tour, Brubeck and Rossi jammed with other Romanian jazz players at the Atrium Classic Café in the
beautiful town of Sibiu and adjudicated the prestigious national student jazz competition “Galele Studentesti” there.
Darius coaching big band in Cluj with Mike sitting in sax section
Mike jamming in Sibiu (Darius in the background)
Matt Ridley – bass and Wesley Gibbens - drums
2010 CAPE TOWN BIG BAND JAZZ FESTIVAL
by Ann Barr
Another amazing event, which had the Baxter Concert Hall packed to capacity. The
Festival, which was held on 27, 28 and 29 May highlights big band music and the
participating bands are from school and colleges, this year 20 bands participated in the
event. Two new bands joined the Festival for the first time, Wynberg Girls’ Big Band,
led by Basil Raad and the Delft Big Band led by Ian Smith (see photo on left). Since
then the Festival has been approached by three new bands with a view to
participating in the 2011 Festival.
Amazing trumpet player Marcus Wyatt joined in the Festival by hosting an
Improvisation Workshop, which was well attended by young and old musicians
alike, and he also made a guest appearance with the Alumni Big Band.
As part of the Festival activities a special concert was held for an invited audience
of Senior Citizens on the Saturday morning, and during the Saturday afternoon an audience of young learners from
the previously disadvantaged areas enjoyed an afternoon of music.
• Dates for the Big Band Festival in 2011: 26,27 & 28 May
The Marimba Festival is gaining momentum, this year being the 2nd Festival.
20 marimba bands participated over the two days and a Massed Marimba
finished off the evening’s performance with resounding success.
• Dates for 2011: 20 and 21 May
♫ Editor: For more information on the 2011CTBBJF or Marimba Festival contact Ann Barr at ann@ctbigbandjazzfest.co.za
NEWS from THE UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL submitted by Dr Mageshen Naidoo
UKZN Jazz student accepted for studies at Drake University, USA
UKZN Jazz piano student, Kabelo Matlou (Witness), who participated in the exchange
programme at Drake University for Semester 2 of 2009 and Semester 1 of 2010 has been
accepted to be a full-time student at Drake University. Kabelo has been recognised by Drake
University as having great talent and he has even secured sponsorship of a trip to Europe whilst
being part of the Drake jazz band.
We are really proud of Kabelo and wish him every success in his studies at Drake University.
French Tour
Masters student Prince Bulo has recently completed a tour of France as bassist in the Marcus Wyatt Band. The tour
was part of Wyatt’s Language 12 tour. The band also performed at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and
the Grahamstown Festival. This year Prince was one of the lecturers at the National Youth Jazz Festival in
Grahamstown. He is currently registered for a Masters degree in jazz composition and arranging at UKZN and he is
also a part-time tutor for Bass guitar at the School of Music.
Mexico
Senior Lecturer in the School of Music and Director of the Centre for Jazz & Popular Music (CJPM), Dr Mageshen
Naidoo performed and lectured at the 11th Annual International Jazz Festival & Seminar in Puebla, Mexico [11º
Jazzfest, Seminario & Encuentro Internacional de Jazz] (May 2010).
Dr Naidoo lectured in Jazz Guitar Techniques, Jazz Harmony and Advanced Concepts for Jazz Improvisation at the
University of Puebla. Students were selected by audition from all over Mexico. At the festival, Dr Naidoo coached
and conducted a student ensemble. The students performed a programme of Dr Naidoo’s original compositions
as well as works by other South African composers such as Winston Mankunku and Cyril Magubane.
The highlight of the festival was a professional performance by the international jazz faculty that included Dr
Naidoo on guitar, JoAnne Brackeen (piano), (Stan Getz, Joe Henderson), Yoron Israel (drums), (Assistant Chair of
Percussion, Berklee College), Marco Pignataro (saxophone), (Director of Global Jazz Institute, Berklee College),
Matt Marvuglio (flute), (Dean of Performance: Berklee College of Music) and Israeli bassist Tal Gamlilie (Danielo
Perez).
♫ Editor:
The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM) at UKZN has an exciting Jazz Concert
Programme for the rest of 2010 which culminates with their annual JAZZ JOL – not to be
missed – so please phone (031) 260-3385 for more info.
PARTICIPATING BANDS
NEWS FROM CAPE TOWN: Dave Ledbetter and The Clearing live at Speedway 105 Cafe!
This fast growing weekly event is becoming a big success largely due to the fact that the environment is all about listening and
being absorbed by the music. Dave Ledbetter is one of South Africa’s most prolific Jazz composers. Look forward to being taken on
a journey of the heart.
The band consists of: Dave Ledbetter-Guitar
Andrew Lilley-Piano
Shane Cooper-Double Bass
Kesivan Naidoo-Drums
Lee Thomson-Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Buddy Wells-Saxophone
Plenty of parking available and only R30 to get in!
Food also available!
WHEN: Music starts at 9pm!
WHERE: 105 Hope St, Roodehek Terrace, Gardens, Cape Town
♫ Editor: Special guests also feature from time to time at Speedway 105 Café such as Marcus Wyatt, Mark Fransman,
a.s.k trio and Bjorn Alterhaug Quintet. Recent guests were Nicky Schrire (vocals) and Shane Lee Cooper (bass) - Eric Alan
had the following to say about their set:
“There was something special in the air last night. What an incredible night of awesome jazz at Speedway 105 Cafe, Nicky
Schrire, voice and Shane Cooper, bass, shone with a duo set that is seldom seen in CT on the jazz circuit, Voice and Bass is
one of the most difficult of duo performances to accomplish and perform. Nicky and Shane carried it off to perfection,
incredible arrangements, playing and singing vocal jazz at its best. It is a night never to forget and those who weren't part of
the full house really missed an unforgettable performance.” - Eric Alan, Radio 2000, 29th July 2010
•
For more info contact Lee Thomson @ 082 775 6868
SOUTH AFRICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JAZZ EDUCATION
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL 2010/2011
[ ] NEW
[ ] RENEWAL
NAME: ……………………………………SURNAME: …………………………………………….TITLE: …………….
ADDRESS:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………
………………………………………………………………………………….
POSTAL CODE:……………………….
EMAIL:…………………………………………………….. TEL:…………………………………………………...........
CELL: ……………………………………… WEBSITE/OTHER:…………………………………………………………
Please tick appropriate category:
[ ]
Individual student ……………….. R175
[ ]
Individual member ………………. R250
[ ]
Associate membership ………… R850
or
•
2 members per institution/association
2 teachers + 4 students per institution
Associate members will be listed in each newsletter (3 per year), on the SAJE website, and in our
Festival and Conference programmes and also on our FACEBOOK info page.
Please mail, fax or email to SAJE Treasurer:
DIANE ROSSI
PO Box 175, Observatory 7935
Fax: 086-508-0337
Email: sajejazz@gmail.com
or direct bank deposit:
SAJE
Standard Bank
Account Number: 077337697 (Plus Plan)
Branch: 025109 Claremont
Please mail, e-mail or fax proof of payment to the SAJE Treasurer Diane Rossi at 086-508-0337
SURVEY (please complete)
Category:
Presently teaching:
Music Interest:
Jazz educator
Jazz Enthusiast
Jazz Musician
Music Industry
Grade 1-7
University
Private Studio
Grade 8-12
Technikon
Jazz Enthusiast
Vocal
General
Wind
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Industry
Adminstration
Composition
Other:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
SAJE Membership:
As an SAJE member you will also be a member of IASJ and JEN.
Please visit the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) website www.iasj.com and the Jazz
Education Network website www.JazzEdNet.org for membership benefits.
Please visit our SAJE website at www.saje.org.za for more info re: jazz groups, events,
festivals & blogs. Your feedback and contributions or suggestions are always welcome!
Please look for and join SAJE and SISTERS IN SOUND on FACEBOOK!